A conventional firearm operates by combusting gunpowder or other accelerant to generate combustion gases that propel a projectile through a barrel and out of the muzzle. The rapidly expanding combustion gases exit the muzzle to produce a characteristic loud bang commonly associated with gunfire.
A suppressor (also commonly referred to as a silencer) is a device attached to the muzzle of the firearm to dissipate energy of the combustion gases to reduce the noise signature of the firearm. The suppressor generally includes a number of baffles serially arranged or stacked inside a casing. A longitudinal pathway through the baffle stack allows the projectile to pass through the suppressor unobstructed, while the baffle stack redirects the combustion gases inside the casing to allow the combustion gases to expand, cool, and otherwise dissipate energy before exiting the suppressor. The combustion gases thus exit the suppressor with less energy, reducing the noise signature associated with the discharge of the firearm.
While numerous suppressor designs exist to reduce the noise signature of a firearm, the need exists for continued improvements that further reduce the noise signature of a firearm. In particular, improvements in axially supporting the baffle stack and conditioning the combustion gases downstream from the baffle stack before exiting the suppressor may enhance the expansion, cooling, and/or energy dissipation of the combustion gases passing through the suppressor, reducing the noise signature associated with the discharge of the firearm.